Impulse (Iris West)
History Origin Iris West and her twin brother, Jai, were born to the third Flash, Wally West, and his wife Linda Park. Although the twins were initially miscarried as the result of an attack by Zoom, Linda's pregnancy was miraculously restored during a later battle. When Wally went into the Speed Force during a battle with Superboy-Prime, he brought Linda and the infant twins with them. After spending some time on an Earth-like world inhabited by an alternate version of Jay Garrick, they traveled to another planet occupied by technologically advanced aliens who had had dealings with a Flash in the past. Early Years When they were first born, Iris and her brother exhibited no signs of having inherited their father's powers. However, after turning three months old, their metabolisms sped up and they began to age rapidly and exhibit powers. Their alien hosts taught Linda the basics of operating machinery to stabilize the growing twins' powers. The West family was suddenly brought back to Earth during an adventure involving the Justice League, Justice Society of America, and Legion of Super-Heroes. They moved back to Keystone City, and Linda set up the alien devices in their basement. Afraid that the twins could age to their own deaths sooner rather than later, Wally began training them how to use their powers as heroes, hoping to let them live their lives to the fullest. The Young Flash Twins While aiding their father battle Spin and Gorilla Grodd, Iris and Jai were captured by Brother Drive and Brother Think, two members of the Dark Side Club who claimed that the twins were Forever People with great potential. Immediately after capture, Iris began to experience another rapid growth spurt, aging her to late adolescence. This gave her full superspeed like her father, which she used to free herself and Jai. After helping their father defeat Grodd, she had yet another spurt, aging into adulthood. She continued aging rapidly, becoming an elderly woman. Wally sought the help of Nzame, an infant gorilla with healing abilities, to try and halt the process. However, this plan backfired, as Iris seemingly withered away and died before her family's own eyes. However, this turned out to be simply a hallucination created by Grodd. Though alive, Iris was still quite old. The twins' rapid aging was cured when Wally discovered that their genetics were not the cause, but rather the death aspect of the Speed Force. He brought them both into the Force. While there, Wally drew the blackness out of her, turning her back into a girl. More than Jai, Iris is a living conduit for the Speed Force, with absolute master over it almost rivaling the one briefly gained by her father during the Dark Flash Saga. Mind-controlled by Queen Bee, she exhibited the power of forming "cocoons" of Speed Forces, bubbles in which she could control speed and time, freezing her targets or hastening their metabolism to death. Moreover, she repaired the weakening connection to the Speed Force crippling her father. Badly traumatized by her ordeal, she refuses to give in her powers again. The Flash: Rebirth Her resolution wanes with the return of the first Reverse Flash, Professor Zoom, during the The Flash: Rebirth event. Since Jai and Iris' connection is still precarious, the attempts of Zoom to disrupt the Speed Force force both kids to endure a large amount of crippling pain, until Iris decides to take the bulk of the Speed Power connection, freeing Jai but taking the pain for herself. At the last moment Jesse Chambers, guided by the late Johnny Quick, uses the Speed Mantra to save Iris' life, once again in her full potential. Iris embraces her new role with childlike glee, choosing to take up the mantle of Impulse, which Bart used before he joined the Teen Titans as Kid Flash. Powers and Abilities Powers Speed Force Conduit: Speed Force is a vaguely defined extra-dimensional energy force from which most superspeed-powered heroes draw their powers. The Speed Force serves as the ultimate measure of velocity in the DCU. They are often referred to in terms of barriers: Sound barrier, Light barrier, Time Barrier, Dimensional Barrier, and finally the Speed Force Barrier. Iris is said to be a living conduit of the force and has potential of mastering it at a level that rivals that of her father. While being mind-controlled by Queen Bee, Iris exhibited the power of forming "cocoons" of Speed Forces, bubbles in which she could control speed and time, freezing her targets or hastening their metabolism to death. Moreover, she repaired the weakening connection to the Speed Force crippling Wally. Superhuman Speed: At first, Iris could only manifest her ability by being able to vibrate her molecules through solid objects. After the events of the "Flash Rebirth", she is now capable of traditional super speed and can run at high velocities but still not as fast as her father because of her young age. Phasing: Before gaining real super-speed, this was Iris' primary ability. Being able to vibrate her molecules at just the right frequency in order to become intangible and pass through solid objects. Speed Force Aura: Like most speedsters, Iris has an invisible aura that protects her and anyone who is running with her or carried by her, from the effects of using her speed. This includes friction and airborne particulate matter. She can also sync her Speed Force aura with her father's, causing her to fly behind Wally when Wally thinks of her. This power also works in reverse, allowing Iris to summon Wally. Abilities *Coming Soon Equipment Weapons *Coming Soon Notes *''This Article is for Wally West's Daughter, for Barry Allen's Love Interest see Iris West.'' *Iris's name was not revealed until All Flash #1, nearly two years after her first appearance. She was likely named after her great-aunt, Iris Allen. Trivia *Coming Soon See Also *Impulse (Iris West)/Gallery In Other Media *Coming Soon Links *http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Iris_West_II_(New_Earth) *http://www.comicvine.com/iris-west/29-46069/ Category:The Flash Family